Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Mazza Museum Summer Conference 2017

In 2008, mere months after Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman came out, I had the privilege of speaking at the Mazza Museum in Findlay, Ohio, a wonderful place dedicated to the art of the picture book.

It was then and there where I met fellow creators-turned-friends including Tad Hills and Marla Frazee.

Thanks to the grand marshal of Mazza, Ben Sapp, I returned on 7/17/17 to kick off the three-day 2017 Summer Institute. This time, I again met a fun group including Jane Dyer, Jeff Ebbeler, and Sherri Rinker:

Special thanks to teacher and professional storyteller Kevin Cordi for one of the most dynamic introductions I've ever had—ever heard.

Alas, I was looking forward to seeing friends Barbara McClintock, Drew Daywalt, and Matt Phelan, but all were speaking on days 2 or 3, after I was gone (I could not linger because I had to present at the Scholastic Summit in Virginia the following day).

Two kind volunteers, Catherine and Karen, picked me up at the Dayton airport—but didn't take me straight to the hotel as I was expecting. First they surprised me with a visit to the nearby business of Katherine's husband Doug. He builds Batmobiles. As one does.

Yes, that's his job. He takes orders for either the 1966 TV show version or the 1989 movie version. It takes about a year to build one (over the body of another car).

I did not order one. I can't pull off Batmobile.

Part of the lovely care package waiting for authors in our rooms included boxes of local chocolates wrapped to look like our books.

Another highlight of the whirlwind trip: since late 2015, thanks to an enterprising fellow named Dan (shown below), the Mazza makes molds of the hands of their visiting authors and artists. Which hand? The hand we create with, of course. (Yes, writers type with both hands so we go with whichever hand is dominant.)

Renata Liwska and I went into the goo at the same time and both lived to tell the tale.

I can't explain what the goo is but it a) doesn't smell, b) doesn't stick to your skin, and c) feels like thick yogurt. We had to keep our hands in the goo for eight minutes.

Mazza will display the hand molds alongside our work.

Let's see if they follow through on either of my suggestions: face molds or ice sculptures.

* Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real (nonfiction picture book about the two girls in WWI England took photos of what they claimed were real fairies); illustrated by Eliza Wheeler; Clarion (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

* Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story (nonfiction picture book about the unprecedented accomplishment—and redemption—of the first person to bomb the U.S. mainland from a plane); illustrated by Melissa Iwai; Clarion (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

“[N]o library in the world could object to the book’s style and panache. [T]his is one biography that’s going to lure the kids like nothing else. More fun than any children’s biography has any right to be”—Fuse #8 (School Library Journal; four out of five stars)

“Fascinating”—Horn Book

“Sure to become a classic example of the genre”—Families Online

“Wonderful…young readers…will find this…title appealing and thereby ensure that future generations recall the amazing story behind Superman’s creation as well. Wait, did I say ‘recall’? Strike that—make it ‘will be inspired by’ instead. This book is that good”—Firefox News

“[T]ouching... The illustrated section...is upbeat, entertaining, and informative...the [well-crafted] afterword shows the shadow side of the great American dream. ...Nobleman is equally adept at both stories”—Boston Globe

“Surprisingly poignant”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Haunting”—Geek Monthly

“Excellent”—GeekDad (WIRED)

“A-minus”—A.V. Club

“The best and most accurate depiction of their lives in print”—Brad Ricca, documentary filmmaker, Last Son, and later author of Super Boys

“Engrossing...wonderful”—Scripps Howard News Service

“I was completely mesmerized by this book from the first instant I opened it. I loved every page, and every word. Boys of Steel transported me; it made me feel young; it moved me to tears. Honest to God, it did! It caused my black heart to melt. The book is absolutely fantastic, the book is tremendous, the book is a huge achievement”—Robby Reed, DIAL B for BLOG

"Sometimes the most inconsequential episodes in larger stories can turn out to be the most moving, and so it is with Thirty Minutes Over Oregon … a thought-provoking meditation on the power of forgiveness"

—New York Times Book Review

"Engrossing and unexpectedly touching … lovely story of reconciliation"

—Wall Street Journal

"Powerful and poignant...a must-read"

—Kirkus Reviews

"Such a cool story...remarkable... We...need this book right now"

—Fuse #8 (School Library Journal)

"Nobleman knows just the right tone to strike with this story, and he unfolds its events with a storyteller's flair. … There are several lessons here, organically made, and kids who come for the wartime action will be pulled along to the book's ultimately pacific message"

—Horn Book

"An important and breathtaking book"

—Colby Sharp book talk video

"Clearly written...moving... This quiet story is less about war than the toll it takes on those who fight, the possibility of reconciliation, and the value of understanding other cultures. A war story with a heartening conclusion"

—Booklist

"Respectful and balanced"

—Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

"This is a remarkable story...a story to be remembered, forever. You will be moved"

Praise for "Fairy Spell"

"A rich overview of this bizarre historical controversy… deftly navigates topics like childhood in the early 20th century, the media and the influence of celebrity culture, and the history of photography … a strong nonfiction choice"

—School Library Journal

"With a crisp and engaging style, Nobleman relates this fascinating story… Young readers are bound to be intrigued"

—Horn Book

"Engaging ... A fascinating introduction to one of the greatest hoaxes of all time, deftly pitched to elementary-age children"

—Kirkus Reviews

"Will leave children guessing until the end"

—Publishers Weekly

"A seamless blend of both frolics and facts fuels suspense ... part accidental trickster tale, part unforgettable fairy tale, all true, this will have kids reaching for cameras of their own in no time"

—Booklist

Praise for "Brave Like My Brother"

Honors:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Other coverage:

"History lovers will find a lot of new information here…Nobleman keeps the suspense tight"—Horn Book

"Always steers clear of melodrama. A good option"—Booklist

"Thoroughly engaging on every account...excels in every regard"—Times Herald (MI)

"A lovely read and a glimpse into the bond between brothers through an exchange of letters. Grab a tissue for the ending"—Lindsey Anderson, Good Reads

"A gentle introduction to WWII although it does pack a bit of an emotional wallop"—Barbara, Good Reads